


White-Winged Loyalty

by RyuuShinobi



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Naruto
Genre: All the Ninjas of Pern, Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 00:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2561525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuuShinobi/pseuds/RyuuShinobi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zabuza meets his match against Kakakshi the Copy Ninja, but before it's over, a particular white dragon saves his ass.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White-Winged Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> A Naruto/Pern crossover. Essentially a rewrite of the end of the first Kakashi/Zabuza fight. A small short that was written for fun, really. And because I love the Haku/Zabuza relationship, in all forms.

A torrent of water is the only thing Zabuza sees, looming all around him, threatening to enclose and suffocate him, as time slows to a crawl. "Impossible!" is the last word from his mouth before it's all in normal speed again. The oncoming rush of water rips every last breath of air from his lungs as it picks him up, lifting him off the ground and tossing the ninja into the air, sword and all. As if he were a tiny pebble.

A small part of him is screaming out for his dragon to fly in and snatch him out of the air. He can feel a slight, worried edge to his mind's thoughts, and he shoves it away, barely managing to keep his dragon in place before Zabuza finds his body making a solid  _thump_  as it's plastered against the rough trunk of a tree.

He's still baffled at how the ninja managed to copy his jutsu, even before he made the signs, and the only thing he manages to say is a raspy "how?" as the form of Kakashi inches closer. There's a ringing in Zabuza's ears.

"Can you see the future?" Zabuza gurgles, coughing water to the ground before him.

"Yeah." The Copy Nin's eyes were narrowed, his kunai held in front of him, the tip pointed at Zabuza. "You're going to die."

That ringing is still there, and it suddenly gets louder, and it's then that Zabuza realizes that's not his ears. That's his dragon.  _No!_  he finds himself shouting, but he can't stop a dragon with its rider's safety on the line.

Kakashi doesn't get a chance to move before the form of a massive white dragon comes speeding across the treetops. There's a slight twitch in the ninja's eyebrows, and he leaps away as the dragon's out-stretched talons tear into the space left by his body.

On a second look, the white dragon isn't as massive as one originally thought, but it still managed to tower over each of the present ninjas. It first gave a warning growl towards Kakashi, red-swirling eyes saying clear threats, even though the talons clawing into the loose, water-soaked dirt were enough of a visual.  _Zabuza_ , the dragon says, without turning around. Its forked tail comes snaking around where Zabuza has managed to stand up.  _Zabuza_ , the white says again.

 _I'm fine, Hakth_ , Zabuza says, mentally, untrusting of his rough voice. He gives the white tail a shove, pushing it away.

Unheeding of Zabuza's actions, the white dragon gives one look back at their rider, and whirls back around to growl at the group of opposing ninja. The dragon lets out a roar, taking a step forward, and their tail lashes out. Wings unfurled, held taut and high above everyone.  _You are not to hurt my Zabuza!_  they take the courtesy of talking to the whole group, a loud and angry mental voice grating at everyone's mind.

"Hakth!" Zabuza growls out-loud this time, giving the dragon a large shove, and stepping in front of them. "Enough! You're not supposed to be here!" He's glaring at the dragon now, a controlled rage behind his eyes. "I told you to stay away. This is my fight."

The white lets out a soft whine and backs off, shoulders hunched, tail and wings tucked tight against their sides, their eyes now a soft yellow.

"A white dragon?" Naruto blurts out, gaping and pointing at the dragon curled up behind Zabuza, but the orange-clad ninja is quickly silenced by a raised hand from Kakashi.

" _My_  white dragon," Zabuza corrects. He picks up his sword, flung aside by the burst of water moments ago, and slings it across his back once again. "We're done here." He turns his back to the group, and stiffly clambers up the back of the dragon, his bones cracking and teeth gritted. Hakth gives Kakashi another warning snarl before they take off into the air, mindful of the cargo that's clinging limply to their back.

Later, Zabuza will swear up and down that he was only taking a nap, that he closed his eyes to sleep, because flying was the most boring thing in the world. He would be lying of course. Every jostle of his battered frame sent sharp, fresh pain through his body, and he fought hard to press his weary face into the smooth, white hide, counting each rise and fall beat of their wings. Letting each breath synchronize with theirs, until Zabuza was lulled into a simple and dazed sleep.


End file.
